Go rather to the lost sheep of the house of Israel. Matthew 10:6
Recently a beloved sister in community decided to accept a job which would prevent her to attend meetings for six months. And maybe right after attending her first community gathering after the hiatus, she will have to go to another round of six months of “I’m with you spiritually.”
In the past, I was the top critic of many brothers and sisters who were going abroad for work or for family reasons. My rationale is that they have everything they need for living in the country and in living in community. Yet, they went. Dubai. Saudi. USA. Australia. Singapore. Canada. London. Netherlands. All over the world.
After experiencing our own family’s diaspora, I understood God’s plan in making way for his disciples to, “Go rather to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.” There is a whole world out there that has to be reach. Cultures needed to be conquered. Societies to be simmered. Horizons to be handed to Christ.
Outside the country and the community, men and women have taken the accountability to heed the direction of the Shepherd. Going forth and seek the lost sheep. By God’s grace, we have built communities out of the community. God’s work is all about expanding His territory and he utilizes his sheep to reach other sheep.
With this, catholic communities are not to be a fenced region. It must be a space without borders where members can go out and reach out, with the guidance of the Shepherd. Communities or churches are enabling the sheep to do this, for this is the place where we get training and formation to go out and pursue the lost.
So, when somebody in community or church decides to go abroad or accepts another job which will keep him out of the community, God must be smiling from ear to ear. For another disciple will fulfill, “Go rather to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.”
HEADWIND CANOE 